In the early summer our family took a vacation to see good friends of ours in England; so we rented a Ford station wagon and took the ferry from Calais, France to Dover, England – here David and I have some fun on the beach below the white cliffs of Dover.

Our friends were on a NATO assignment and lived in Medmenham near Marlow, England; and little did we know that during this visit we would travel within a few miles of our future home in Suffolk on our next assignment – here David and I horse around on the beach below the white cliffs of Dover.

Leeds Castle dates from the year 1119 and is just just southeast of Maidstone in Kent, England; here David stands at the beginning of the oval green in front of Leeds Castle.

David and I pose in front of Leeds Castle, which was beautifully furnished with period furniture from across Europe.

The massive stone facade of the front entrance gives way to a worn and weathered wooden insert in which a smaller door has been created, through which the public may enter and take a delightful tour of the castle’s beautiful interior rooms – each room has a guide on hand to explain everything to you.

If you look at Leeds Castle on Google Maps, you can see this distinctive square tower at the end of the bridge to the most distant island fortress in the middle of the lake.

From the middle of the most distant fortress in the lake you look back past this beautiful half-timbered building to the same square tower seen in the previous photo.

Back on the castle grounds, David looks at a regal peacock perched on the handmade wooden fencing as if it were his throne.

The grounds of Leeds Castle are quite extensive, and centered in this photo is a period thatched roof cottage that blends perfectly into the surrounding landscape.

You can almost picture what living in this quaint period cottage must have been like hundreds of years ago, in complete harmony with its environment.

David and I stand before the approach to the bridge leading to the large island of Leeds Castle.

A panoramic view of Leeds Castle from a distance, which is one of the most enjoyable castles to visit in England.

The moat around Leeds Castle is actually a full lake, which provides a beautiful setting for such a perfect castle.

What looks like one large castle is really two separate castles on two separate islands, with a thin connecting bridge running between them.

If you go to Google Map and look at the satellite view of Leeds Castle, you can see the two individual islands that make up the entire complex of Leeds Castle.

Of all the castles in England that our family visited, Leeds Castle was the most enjoyable to visit, because the furnishings are beautiful and the knowledgeable guides were so informative and pleasant – which made for an excellent tour.

’Life, Love and the Human Condition’ by Mark D. Jones

Welcome to my world! This blog is a place to capture all of the creative areas of my life into one spot that you can visit any time you like, and allow you to pause for a moment during the course of your day. You can see in the "categories section" the many creative interests that I have in my life - which I add to on a regular basis. Join with me in pondering the meaning of, "Life, Love and the Human Condition." So grab a cup of coffee or tea and spend a few minutes with me in my world...you may find it interesting and want to stay awhile! Enjoy!